In March 2015, an illegal tap on a gas line caused an explosion in a residential building in New York's East Village. Two lives were lost, and three buildings were leveled. In the aftermath, it became clear that while the city required inspections of many building systems, it was not the case for gas lines. The New York City Council worked to remedy that, and in December, 2016, a package of bills was signed into law by Mayor Bill de Blasio. more